Behind the Numbers: 01.10.08: My 2007 NFL All Pro Team

Posted by Chris Widner on 01.10.2008

The AP just released their All Pro team, so take a look to see how mine stacks up.

Yes, I'm finally back. I apologize for the time away but some matters are just more important than sports. I'm sure Ry will love to hear me say that. We'll just leave it at that. Thanks to Dan Owen for being cool and letting me have the time off as well. I missed some excited action the last few weeks so I'm going to end it with my version of the All Pro team. Keep your eyes out for my new column that will cover the entire world of sports, one 15 second clip at a time. Anyhow, here we go!

2007 All Pro Team

QB - Tom Brady (NE) (4,806 yards, 50 TD, 8 INT, 8.3 yds/att)
There's really not much I can say that hasn't been said before. He broke Manning's single season touchdown record while throwing 2 fewer interceptions. He has led this team to some blowout victories and a share of comebacks all on the way to a 16-0 season. The Brady/Manning debate can finally be put to rest. He's the best in the game today.

RB - LaDainian Tomlinson (SD) (1,474 yards, 15 TD, 0 Fumbles, 60 rec, 475 yards, 3 TD)
LT's combined stats from the first 3 games of the season were 57 carries, 130 yards, 2.28 yds/carry and 1 touchdown. Things were looking bad to say the least, but what do you expect with a brand new coaching staff running the show? Over the next 13 games he reminded us all what he is capable of. Sure his numbers are down, but he doesn't have to carry the entire offense anymore. He still led the league in rushing and is showing no signs of slowing down.

RB - Adrian Peterson (MIN) (1,341 yards, 12 TD) in 14 games
AD was absolutely on fire for the first half of the season. He set the single-game record for rushing and was on pace to destroy some serious records. Unfortunately a knee injury knocked him off track. He struggled the last 2 games of the season when his team needed him most, but he is still one of the top backs in this league.

TE - Jason Witten (DAL) (96 rec, 1,145 yards, 7 TD)
Kellen Winslow, Antonio Gates, Tony Gonzalez and even Jeremy Shockey get all the attention for the new wave of tight ends, but Witten belongs at the front of that list. His blocking is underrated and he is fearless over the middle. Tony Romo has plenty of weapons but Witten is a huge part of the offense's success. He might not be flashy but he's the real deal.

WR - Randy Moss (NE) (98 rec, 1,493 yards, 23 TD)
I'll admit, when the Patriots picked up Moss I was expecting him to have a decent year. Sure, I knew he was one of the best players in the league, but Tom Brady had always distributed the ball well. Just like with Brady, there's not much I can say that hasn't been said before. It may have been against the Dolphins, but when Moss grabbed his second TD by catching it with his freaking bicep it just showed how much of a freak he is. Moss is back.

WR - Braylon Edwards (CLE) (80 rec, 1,289 yards, 16 TD)
I really wanted to give this slot to TO or Wes Welker but there's just no denying that Braylon Edwards is an elite player. Other than his 2 games against the Steelers he has been incredibly consistent this year and is a huge reason for the Browns' success. Only in his third season, Edwards has a very bright future. And as I said, he's consistent, which is great for Anderson/Quinn. In the words of another superstar, just give him the damn ball.

T - Flozell Adams (DAL)
When you see how Tony Romo likes to escape the pocket quickly you might think that he doesn't have a very good line. No, that's just Romo being Romo. Flozell Adams has anchored the Cowboys' line to a great season. Just take a look at how well Julius Jones and Marion Barber can run the ball.

T - Matt Light (NE)
The Patriots' offense has some great weapons, but the line is out of this world. I'm not willing to say that one player or another is more responsible for the success but there's definitely something about this big fella. It's simply amazing how much time Brady has in the pocket. He's a great player and when you have all the time in the world to make your reads, you're even better.

G - Steve Hutchinson (MIN)
When Hutchinson signed that huge contract with Minnesota some people questioned the team. Sure, the game is won and lost at the line, but is a guard really worth what Hutchinson got paid? The answer is clearly YES. You know my feelings on Adrian Peterson but a lot of the credit must go to this line, and Hutchinson is the anchor.

G - Logan Mankins (NE)
Look at Matt Light

C - Jeff Saturday (IND)
With Manning making his audibles and their no huddle, it takes a special group of linemen to be able to handle their end of the bargain. Saturday is big, mean, and smart. He makes the audibles for the linemen and having a guy like him has allowed Manning to be the player he is.

DE - Jared Allen (65 tackles, 15.5 sacks, 3 FF, 10 PD)
The Chiefs struggled mightily as the season progressed but you can't place any of the blame on Allen. He's a quarterback killer. If he's not pounding a quarterback into the ground he'll be pressuring him or knocking down his passes. If he was playing for a better team he would be getting tons of press.

DE - Patrick Kerney (62 tackles, 14.5 sacks, 5 FF, 2 PD, 1 INT)
The Seahawks struggled in the beginning but really brought it together. Kerney and the defense are a major reason why. He has so many skills and a great nose for the ball. Playing at Seattle is not something any quarterback wants to do. You're dealing with the crowd noise, Kerney is trying to take your head off, and if you make the wrong pass Trufant will own you.

DT - Albert Haynesworth (40 tackles, 6 sacks, 5 PD)
How did he not get the Defensive POY award? There is a HUGE difference when he's gone. He dominates the line and gives the rest of the defense the ability to just do their job. I'm a huge Vince Young fan and I still think he's the real deal but we all know it's the Tennessee defense that keeps them going. And Haynesworth is the #1 reason why.

DT - Pat Williams (MIN) (64 tackles (44 solo), 2 sacks, 3 PD)
What a fun game to play, Which Minnesota Williams Goes Here? Pat Williams wins this time around. Like I said, it's a toss-up but that's no slight to Pat Williams. The Vikings probably have the best defensive line in the league and this run stuffer sure helps. He may not have a ton of sacks but he opens the door for his teammates. Teams know better than to not focus on stopping him. He's like Jared Allen in that if he were playing in a bigger market we'd all know about Pat Williams.

LB - Patrick Willis (SFO) (174 tackles, 4 sacks, 2 FF, 5 PD)
Worth his #11 draft spot? You betcha! Willis led the entire league in tackles because he has a motor that just won't stop. He has a terrific nose for the ball and flies around the field. He really reminds me of a young Ray Lewis and that's not something I just throw out there for anyone. This guy is going to be an All Pro choice many many times over his career.

LB - Brian Urlacher (CHI) (123 tackles, 5 sacks, 12 PD, 5 INT, 1 TD)
All the drama with his baby mama and his injuries have caused a lot of unnecessary criticism to be thrown his way. When you have these type of stats and it's an "off year" you know you're a beast. 5 sacks, 5 picks and 12 deflections, are you kidding me? Just wait until next year when he's healed up and people will be eating their words.

LB - DeMarcus Ware (DAL) (84 tackles, 14 sacks, 4 FF, 3 PD)
With the exception of the New England game, the Dallas defense was just sick. We were expecting good things out of him with Wade Phillips at the helm and he did not disappoint. The crazy thing is that he's still getting better. This is a guy that could actually hit 20 sacks in a season. Yeah, he's that good. He's young, fast, big, and mean. I love being a Cowboys fan!

LB - Mike Vrabel (NE) (77 tackles, 13 sacks, 5 FF)
Going into the season I was expecting Adalius Thomas to be going into this slot. Instead it's his fellow teammate, Mike Vrabel. Most of the attention he has received over the years is for him catching goal line touchdown passes. If you've watched him on a semi-regular basis you already knew he was an excellent linebacker, but did anyone expect this? What a season for the 11th year man.

CB - Marcus Trufant (SEA) (85 tackles, 7 INT, 15 PD, 1 TD)
85 tackles from a cornerback? 7 picks when nobody wants to throw his way? Yeah, he's something else. Sure sometimes he goes for the big play but he's gotten a lot better about that. Stats don't always tell the whole story but in his case they do. Trufant is shut-down. Receivers better bring their A-game when he's covering them because it's going to be a long day at the office. This guy is a bona fide superstar and is getting better each year.

CB - Antonio Cromartie (SD) (44 tackles, 10 INT, 18 PD, 1 TD) (Longest play in NFL history, 109 yd missed field goal return for TD)
If you remember, Cromartie was a risky pick for the Chargers. With the 19th overall pick they selected a guy coming off of a torn ACL. At the cornerback position you need your legs and you need to be able to turn. Sure, he had tons of potential and then another bucket to spare, but would that ACL end his career before it begain? It's safe to say that he's fine. 10 picks and 18 deflections, and this is for a guy that people don't like to throw to. That just shows how dominant he is. Can you imagine another few years under his belt? He'll be replacing Champ Bailey as "the guy."

FS - Sean Taylor (WAS) (42 tackles, 5 INT, 9 PD, 1 FF) In 9 games
If you've actually seen Sean Taylor play you know this is not a "sympathy vote" or anything close to it. Taylor was by far the best player on the Redskins' defense and the best free safety in the league. In a shortened season he put up excellent numbers. Of course the more important issue is that his family, friends, and teammates lost a loved one, but he'll be missed on the gridiron as well.

SS - Bob Sanders (IND) (97 tackles, 4 sacks, 2 INT, 6 PD)
Although I think Albert Haynesworth was the obvious choice for Defensive POY, Sanders was my second choice. If you love football you've gotta love the way he plays. His motor runs non-stop and he'd love to knock your head off. Just look back at last season with the Colts' run defense. While he was out it was horrible. Then he comes back and they win it all. Coincidence? Not at all. He is deserving of the contract he just signed and will continue to be a lethal force on the gridiron for a long time to come.

K - Rob Bironas (TEN) (35 of 39 FGM, 13 of 15 from 40+, 8 FGM in 1 game)
8 of 8 in one game helps get your name on this list, but Bironas has a boot on him. You can never underestimate the importance of a reliable kicker, especially when you have a weak offense like the Titans. Knowing he can make all the necessary kicks gives an offense a lot of confidence.

P - Andy Lee (SF) (47.3 avg, 42 inside the 20, 16 inside the 10, 13 touchbacks, 41.0 net avg)
I'll admit that I have seen very little of Lee and his punting, but I do have a life. So I'm looking at the numbers here. The 49ers' offense is absolutely horrible so he gets plenty of kicks in, but that's no reason to knock the guy. He can force the opposition's offense to start well back on their side of the field which helps the 49ers' defense quite a bit.

KR - Devin Hester (CHI) (1,585 total return yards, 6 TD)
If I were coaching this guy I can't decide if I'd want to strangle him for trying to force the big play or not. Maybe that's just what makes him who he is. He might make some risky plays that he shouldn't, but teams are still crazy if they want to kick to him. He will also be a threat on offense if the Bears can ever figure out what they want to do. How is he not more involved in the offense?


MVP - Brett Favre (GB) / Tom Brady (NE)
Yeah, I'll get some flack here, but Favre deserves an MVP for this year. Could you imagine the team without him? Rodgers played well against the Cowboys but that doesn't mean that Favre is overrated. This award is for the Most Valuable Player, not the Best Player, or the Player With the Best Stats. So that is why Favre is up here. Now am I knocking Brady? No way! I think another quarterback could have filled in and led the Patriots' to a 10-6 record and the AFC East title, but come on. 16-0? Yeah, it takes someone very special to lead a team to that record. Kudos to both players on an excellent year.


Offensive POY - Tom Brady (NE)
Now we're talking about the Player of the Year, which to me means Best Player. Brady was simply the best offensive player out there. Yes, he had excellent weapons, but we know what he can do without them. No question that he deserves this vote.

Defensive POY - Albert Haynesworth (TEN)
Like I said before, Haynesworth was the obvious choice for Defensive Player of the Year. He causes so much havoc on the line that teams must focus on trying to stop him. This allows his teammates to do their jobs and make the plays.

Offensive ROY - Adrian Peterson (MIN)
As if there was any question on this pick. His second half wasn't near as good as the first, but he still deserves this. Well deserving of his Pro Bowl slot.

Defensive ROY - Patrick Willis (SF)
Again, a no-brainer. You lead the leauge in tackles and play with the desire that Willis does and you'll get Defensive Rookie of the Year. I just can't wait to see him in a few years. He's a young Ray Lewis, and that's not something I'm willing to say about just anyone.

Well that's it for my end of the year picks. I hope you've enjoyed reading, so feel free to let me know what you think. Where did I go wrong, right, or just plain upside down. [e-mail]